St. Louis area hospitals changed mask rules
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Last week, almost half of the St. Louis adults in our panel (47%) heard that St. Louis area hospitals are ending their mask requirements. Nearly all (97%) of those who heard it believed it. BJC HealthCare ended its masking requirement on March 23, following SSM Health and Mercy hospital systems that did so on March 15.
Masks will still be required in certain cases. Those who wish to wear masks are still allowed and encouraged to do so. Some health systems, such as St. Elizabeth’s in O’Fallon, IL, still require all staff to wear masks. Patients receiving medical services in hospitals can still request that a staff member wear a mask around them, especially in exam rooms. The change in masking requirements comes after COVID-19, RSV, and flu cases stayed low in St. Louis after a winter spike.
This week’s report is based on 163 responses from a panel of adult residents of St. Louis City and County surveyed from Saturday, March 25, to Monday, March 27, 2023. Explore these data and more at iHeardSTL.
To learn what our community is hearing, follow us @iheard_stl
#iHeardSTL #Masks #StLouisHospitals #COVID-19 #StayWellSTL #BJC #SSMHealth #MercySTL #STL #MaskRequirements #Hospitals
Masking best practices
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Where are we at in the pandemic? Fewer people are wearing masks, hospital systems are dropping mask mandates, and COVID rates in our area remain low, according to the CDC. What does this mean for you, and for St. Louis? Swipe for our tips on considering when you may still choose to wear a mask to protect yourself.
Where to find out more on this topic:
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-who-are-immunocompromised
To learn what our community is hearing, follow local health department accounts @stlcountydoh
@cityofstldoh
#iHeardSTL #Masks #Masking #COVID-19 #ProtectYourself #Pandemic